Crushed dried red chili peppers are the same as flakes, and used where you want to spice up a dish without turning it completely red.Ground dried chili is a powder that comes in fine, medium, and coarse grinds, and is used in dishes you want red with heat.In general, the powders will provide more chili flavor and more heat than the flakes, as the powder will spread through your dish more than the flakes will.